Get it, Girls!

Today we went to the barrios of La Plata for the last time. After getting our last round of surveys completed for ADITO's impact study on microcredit, I enjoyed listening to the ladies laugh, chat and resolve issues together.

During the meeting, Stella asked if I had any questions or comments and I thanked the ladies for sharing their lives with us. After a mini applause for my little speech, I got to thinking about why Grameen and microcredit is so great. Given that microfinance is relatively new and not proven effective in reducing poverty, I can't say if giving a 2000 peso loan to start a bakery or supermarket would be enough for these ladies to escape poverty.

However, what I can say is that microcredit creates community and solidarity among these women in such a way that makes living in extreme poverty easier. Today, the ladies decided to give a loan to one of the ladies so she could take care of her husband's health problems. Without this community, this borrower would have struggled to make ends meet. Microcredit, or at least Grameen La Plata, relieves pressure on the poor and creates solidarity for these women and their families to fight against poverty together.

When I look back on our Mondays and Tuesdays in the barrios, I will always remember how impressive these ladies were. With only a primary school education (at the most), these ladies understand their world, want to improve their lives and resolve difficulties together.

All I have to say is, get it, girls!